This invention relates to a collapsible-sided shelf, in particular of metal or non-metal wires, rods and rod-like elements, particularly for trolleys and fixed support devices.
Shelves of plastic-coated metal wire, rods or rod-like elements are known, to be hooked at different heights to side walls provided or not provided with wheels, to form a trolley or a support device in which these (removable) shelves form a consolidating part of the trolley or device. These shelves comprise a substantially rectangular flat base part plus sides. The sides may form an integral part of the base part, in which case they are rigidly set substantially at 90xc2x0 to the base part which, with the sides, assumes either a U-configuration, or a tray configuration if bounded by four sides. The overall size of such a shelf is considerable, and negatively affects transport and storage costs.
To reduce the overall size of such shelves it has already been proposed to provide them with collapsible sides which can be rotated from a substantially flat position lying on the base part to a position rotated through 90xc2x0 therefrom. For this purpose the sides are provided with a number of rods, wires and rod-like elements shaped approximately as a half-closed hook which by engaging a surrounding rod of the base part enables the sides to be rotated away from and towards this base part.
Although this solution solves the size problem, it has certain drawbacks: the shelf is unstable and therefore also makes the trolley structure unstable; the shelf is uncomfortable to install between the side walls; and fitting the sides to the base part involves relatively complicated manual operations which cannot be automated.
An object of this invention is to provide a shelf provided with at least one side which forms one piece with the base part and can be made to manually assume a plurality of stable angular positions relative to said base part.
A further object of the invention is to provide a trolley or a fixed support structure in which the shelf of the invention is applied.
These and further objects which will be apparent from the ensuing detailed description are attained by a shelf and a trolley or support structure in accordance with the teachings of the accompanying claims.